"Man in the Attic" is a remake of Hitchcock's "The Lodger" (1927). This is not the only remake--there have been many more nor is it among the best. For my money, the best is Hitchcock's--even if it is a silent film. If you must see another, this 1953 version's as good as any.
The story is set during the time of Jack the Ripper. A weirdo (Jack Palance) moves in to a home where they are renting rooms--and soon the lady of the house (Frances Bavier) begins to think he might be the Ripper. And, as the film progresses, you can see a lot of obvious clues--very obvious clues.
My biggest problem is that there really is very little suspense in the film. The audience isn't misdirected and the film is too linear--too pat. In contrast, "The Lodger" keeps the viewer guessing throughout. Still, it is modestly entertaining--particularly if you can look past that few in the cast are British and that the ending seemed a bit abrupt and tough to believe.
The story is set during the time of Jack the Ripper. A weirdo (Jack Palance) moves in to a home where they are renting rooms--and soon the lady of the house (Frances Bavier) begins to think he might be the Ripper. And, as the film progresses, you can see a lot of obvious clues--very obvious clues.
My biggest problem is that there really is very little suspense in the film. The audience isn't misdirected and the film is too linear--too pat. In contrast, "The Lodger" keeps the viewer guessing throughout. Still, it is modestly entertaining--particularly if you can look past that few in the cast are British and that the ending seemed a bit abrupt and tough to believe.